Additionally, Manuka honey is known to have higher amounts of enzymes than found in other types of honey, making it a great antibacterial food.

In other words, it’s better than honey when using to cure an acute sickness.

The universal standard used to measure the antibacterial content of different Manuka honeys is called the Unique Manuka Factor, or UMF for short.

Without confusing you with the details, the UMF measures each pack of Manuka honey according its antibacterial quality, which basically shows to what extent is the Manuka honey you purchase medicinal or not.

Note that not all Manuka honeys contain UMF. Even in the spectrum of those that do contain a substantial UMF, that spectrum itself is varied.

Because of this, it’s very important to have these kinds of standards in order to differentiate the medicinal honeys from other non-medicinal ones.

Many organizations in New Zealand test and provide UMF’s for the more legitimate Manuka honeys.

UMF Numbers & Their Effects

Within the UMF standards, these are the ranges of levels of UMF and what exactly it means. So if a honey has a specific number, then it shows the extent of its medicinal effect as follows:

0-4 means that it has no medicinal effect whatsoever.

4-9means that it contains similar benefits of conventional honey.

10-14 means that it can provide natural healing and maintain normal bacteria levels.

15 & over means that it provides an even higher level of specific healing, but should be limited to no more than 1 tablespoon at a time.

About the author

Ariel Baradarian

Ariel Baradarian, CCH is an experienced holistic certified homeopathic practitioner with success in addressing a wide variety of mental, emotional, and physical ailments in men, women, and children of all stripes. He works both alongside local medical and integrative doctors and their patients as well as with his own growing, global private practice, both in person in his office in Queens, NY and globally via video chat sessions. Ariel is also a natural health blogger and chief editor of naturalholistichomeopathic.com, which is dedicated to helping others heal on all levels using various types of natural healing, including homeopathy. In addition, he is the New York Producer of the Vibrant Living Network, an inspiring organization dedicated to promoting a community natural and holistic health, mindful consciousness, relational intelligence and more!

20 Comments

Great article, I actually love manuka honey but there is one issue for me, after I tried it, I had an allergic reaction. itchy throat etc, I have hayfever but do not normally react to honey, I’m presuming because this is different, as it’s so pure? Such a shame because I love it – HOWEVER, my children and husband love it too and do not have any reaction. I’m allergic to a lot of things so, it’s not surprising for me – thankfully they can all benefit though. Thank you for the info!

Being that it’s just a more purified form of honey, there are officially no known side effects. However, according to Web MD, there is a chance of having an allergic reaction (only if you are allergic to bees), risk of a rise in blood sugar, and it may interact with chemotherapy drugs.

That being said, unless you are generally allergic to honey or bees, Manuka honey should not have a serious or any effect on you. The only guaranteed way for side effects is from using a Manuka honey with a high UMF, such as 20+, and taking more than one teaspoon than necessary.

If you like, I would recommend finding a Manuka honey that has a low number, anywhere between 5-15. It can still have a medicinal effect and should be safe. But again, if you have a history of allergic reactions to honey/bee, than you should stay away.

If you have any other questions or concerns, please let me know. I am here to help

My boyfriend loves honey. He loves to put about 7 tablespoons in his tea though, which isn’t the best way to use honey haha.
I myself wouldn’t mind taking a tablespoon of honey daily, by itself. I don’t like it in my tea but it’s good alone. How can I not try this when it’s so beneficial to my health. I’ll have to get some soon.

Haha, sounds interesting Gina. Keep in mind that although it’s completely up to you, it’s not necessary to take this honey every single day unless you are using it for skin or aging issues. But, it is great to have around at least for the conditions I mentioned above. Hope you enjoy!

This was extremely informative about Manuka Honey. I had heard of it before but didnt appreciate exactly why it was different from other honey and that you can use it in so many different ways. This article really informs and offers interesting facts about Manuka Honey. The video certainly added to the overall experience on the page, I thoroughly enjoyed listening to it. One thing that perhaps yo could change is that some of the sidebar adverts sit over the top of the video so only about half of the video screen can be seen. It didnt spoil it for me but this would be a good thing to tweak. Thanks !

Thank you so much for the positive feedback! And as for the video tweak, it is something I believe is a bit of out my control. If there is a way to change, I will definitely try to fix it as soon as possible.

It’s awesome how nature has the ability to produce such a delicious and healthy substance as honey. I’m a bit concerned about the fact that the bee population is low. Something needs to be done about that!

Anyways, I’ ve never had the luxury of trying Manuka honey but the Chinese in my area love the stuff. They swear by it. The crazy thing is that they all seem to be in very good health and looking good for their age so it must be working!

I did not realize that Manuka Honey was so different than regular honey. Is it because the commercially sold honey has preservatives as you pointed out? Or does the Manuka’s benefits come solely from the Manuka plant? Very interesting. When using it on your face or hair, I would be concerned with it being way too sticky to get off. Is that an issue?

1. It’s different precisely because of both reasons that you mentioned. However, make sure to look for a Manuka honey that comes from New Zealand and has a UMF label. Otherwise you are wasting your money.

2. I don’t believe that it’s hard to remove. A regular shower or just a through facial wash should be fine.

Wow, this is the second web page I have come across today mentioning Manuka honey. It must be the new super food.
I must say I am quite intrigued by it. How does the taste compare to the regular “super market” honey.

For the treatments you listed off the video-how often do you take them?

No surprise with that Amber! Manuka honey is being raved by both regular people like yourself and health professionals. Of course it’s not the quick fix for everything but it’s always very good to have on hand. You take the honey enough times until the healing starts. Time varies depending on the condition and how serious it is. I have personally used it for sore throats and it worked pretty rapidly within an hour.

Wow, this is the second article about honey I’ve seen today. I have never heard of Manuka honey though and I love honey! So, I must get some for sure. I am actually having stomach issue at the moment, and watching the 5-minute video here made me realize I should try it and see if I can kill whatever it is I got. Where do you recommend buying it – I don’t think they carry it in south america, but I will look and see.

This is a nice piece of information I have come across regarding the health benefits of Manuka honey. Some days ago I was diagnosed with gingivitis in my teeth and one of my friend told me about best Manuka honey can be helpful for me and it actually worked in treating my gingivitis.

Manuka honey is made in Australia and New Zealand by honey bees that pollinate the local manuka bush. Experts say that manuka honey benefits can treat wound infections and different conditions. Manuka honey benefits for wound healing, soothing sore throats, preventing tooth decay and improving digestive issues in different conditions.

Manuka honey benefits for wound healing, soothing sore throats, preventing tooth decay and improving digestive issues in different conditions. The most commonly hyped ways to use Manuka honey for skincare purposes are as a face mask, cleanser and spot treatment.